San Diego MLS fights for Zillow, Trulia exposure

Agency wants agents' info to be listed prominently on popular search sites

Here's Trulia's response in a written email to the U-T San Diego: "At Trulia, we always make it easy for consumers to contact the listing data source and the listing agent based on the information provided to Trulia. In early January, we released a data pledge to this effect.

What did Point2 say?: It plans to pull in the extra data that San Diego MLS members may put into listings, said spokesman Roger Noujeim. He added: "If stricter distribution of data is the preferred choice for some MLSs, with the intention that consumers go on to the broker or agent site for more information, Point2’s systems will cater to that need."

The new feature will be available to Sandicor's 17,000 members starting Wednesday and more changes are coming.

Soon, the company will decrease the number of photos that can go out to syndicators to four, down from the maximum of 25. Another upcoming change: Images sent out to outside parties will bear watermarked contact information of the listing agents.

There's no doubt the discussion is about data and the control of data.

Here's proof of that from the last sentence of a letter sent out to Sandicor's members on the new-field change.

"Sandicor recognizes this new field as a vital and valuable data source for a member's online marketing endeavors," the letter says.